10.31.2012

This quote is poignant to me. You can shine during life's moments of frustration or you can let it get the best of you [and bring out the worst]. I think what it really comes down to is how do you deal with events out of your control. Big or small, these are the moments that test us.

We are facing a very soggy Halloween Night. With any luck it will let up and the kids can have a dry night of fun. But most likely it will be pouring. My boys are ecstatic about the day. I have no control over the weather. So, I will pull on my Hunter boots, zip up my North Face shell, grab the lantern and brave the night with them.

You will need mini pumpkins, plastic vampire teeth and a red Sharpie marker.
Simply cut out a rectangle-roughly the width of the vampire teeth- scoop
out the seeds and pulp, and shave down the sides so that the teeth will
slide all the way in. Draw two red eyes and you are done! [Martha used map tacks for the eyes and provided a template for the mouth....but I went rogue.]

10.17.2012

Ever have a cluster of days that make you feel not so great about yourself? Something crawls into your head and you just can't shake it. You might find yourself spending extra minutes in front of the mirror examining all of your imperfections and beating yourself about this or that. Work harder, drink more water, wear moisturizer, find a better shampoo, get a haircut.

My mantra today, this week, this month. You are beautiful, pass it along.

[Be gentle with your spirit and give yourself a break. Remind someone else of her beauty. She may have forgotten.]

10.16.2012

I am always on the look out for quick and simple desserts. Recipes that are semi-homemade, like these pumpkin cake cookies, are my absolute favorite. I have linked the recipe, but you don't really need it. It is 3 simple ingredients. Dump, mix, and bake!

10.15.2012

For the first time since June 2004, I had the house to myself all weekend. No kids, no husband, just me. I had 48 hours with absolutely no responsibilities [other than being a responsible adult]. The quiet was deafening at times, but my iTunes library helped with that. How did I fill my time? Let me tell you- it wasn't difficult. I filled it with all the things I once took for granted. Reconnecting with a dear friend, sleeping in, watching movies past midnight, window shopping, afternoon talk shows, long conversations over delicious meals. Funny how a little space allows you to linger in things that once were, but reveals to you how much you love what is.

10.11.2012

Cold floors in the morning and chilly afternoons call for slippers! I have owned 3 pairs of exact same slipper. The Minnetonka Cally Slipper is suede and pile lined. And let me tell you-they are so, so cozy. They come in 5 colors and are priced under $40. I chose grey this time!

10.09.2012

The original pin called for craft glue, but I figured spray adhesive would be easier if it worked. The final product looks a bit different than the image I pinned, but still fun and festive. It took less than 5 minutes to make a sparkle mini pumpkin.

10.08.2012

With September over, most kids [and moms] have settled into the school routine. Ask my oldest how school is going and his response would be great. Not so much with my little man. Each morning he asks, "Is today a school day?" I grimace these days when I have to answer yes. His one liners about kindergarten are hilarious.

"Did you know it is 6 hours long?"
"I had to do not 20 or 30, but 40 papers."
"Choice time is the only part I like."

My former mommy-self would not have been calm about this. I would have worried and fretted and worried some more. This time around it is different. [Don't get me wrong. I want my youngest to thrive, love school, and to go with the flow a bit more.] I have learned that I have no control over how my kids feel, so I just have to honor it. My 5 year old works hard all day long on reading, writing, sharing, math, listening, sitting...... So I have been trying to fill his afternoon with a little bit of "kid" joy! I shoot hoops with him after school. We made play dough together on the stove and I watched him play with it for hours. We put up Halloween decorations. I gave him an awesome storage container specially made for his LEGO mini-figures. And lots and lots of hugs.

....but the best, according to little man, comes on Fridays. A bowl of ice cream with multiple toppings. As many as he would like.

Round 1. Warm a plate in the microwave. Place and melt hershey kiss bottoms on warm plate. Place on cookies. Let rest.

Round 2. Warm plate again. Melt chocolate chips and place on opposite side. Let rest.
[be careful. the plate was a little too warm for the chocolate chips. I had to take another swipe at round 2. let the plate cool a bit before placing the smaller chocolate pieces.]

10.03.2012

Can't help but share my adoration for a children's picture book series with all of you. I will admit, I have fallen in love with Scaredy Squirrel.

Who could resist that face?

My youngest son is equally crazy for Scaredy. We read his books over and over. Scaredy is always scared of something.

And he always has a plan, but it always falls apart. I appreciate Melanie Watt's sense of humor and her creative illustrations. She uses captions on many pages that add to the fun. The kids recognize the silliness, which provides plenty of giggles at bedtime. Scaredy Squirrel has six books and all of them are outstanding. [The books are aimed for children 4 and up, but the humor entertains children of all ages.]

Find Scaredy at amazon or your local independent book store. [or the library!]

10.01.2012

My phone is my point and shoot camera-which is great because it is always with me. To make the photos more interesting, I often use Instagram [which I am slightly obsessed with]. Now, I have something new to play with!

Phonto. A simple app that lets you add text to your photos. 200 fonts. Change color, size, move it around, tilt it. You can share by email, facebook, twitter, open in Instagram, or save right to your photo roll. Super easy and FREE! [the iPhone app has more fonts and capabilities than the android app.]